Exposed
by ObsessedwReading
Summary: Now that Lorelei and Wayson have been exposed the rest of the group is in more danger of being discovered. The two of them are trying to deal with the newfound fame that they've acquired overnight and trying to keep the others a secret. What lies in store for our favorite Mermaids, their boyfriends, and their new friends? Sequel to my fanfiction Replaced.
1. Chapter 1

Exposed

Chapter 1

My Fault

Author's notes: I don't own H20: Just Add Water, only my OCs Jessie Dove, Morgan Thompson, Wayson and Lorelei Chatham and David and Derek Smith.

This is a sequel to my other H20: Just Add Water fanfiction Replaced. If you haven't read that one you might want to read it first.

* * *

She kept reliving the experience all over again. It was like a nightmare she was hoping to wake up from. But it wasn't just a bad dream. It was reality and this was now her and her brothers' life. There was no way that they could find to get rid out of this predicament. They were fresh out of ideas. Their muses had completely vanished.

Their fear was getting to them, messing with their thoughts and mind. They were so paralyzed by it that they couldn't think of a way out. And it was driving her crazy. The were freaking mermaids and mermen for crying out loud. They should be able to find a way out of this mess that was now their life.

_'It's all your fault.' _Lorelei shook her head trying to dispel the thoughts. She couldn't help but feel that the voice in her head was right though. It was all her fault. She trusted Kris and told him everything. Now they were all paying the price. She and her friends were trapped in their own home, staying inside at all times with their Grandmother at Max's house.

"Hey how are you holding up?" The blonde haired mermaid looked up to see Charlotte looking at her in concern.

"Terrible." She admitted. "You?"

"Same." The redhead sighed and sat next to her. "It's not your fault you know."

She raised an eyebrow at Gracie's granddaughter. "Are you a mind reader now?"

"No, I just read the expression on your face. You look like you feel really guilty."

"I do. Why shouldn't I? It's my fault. If I hadn't told Kris then none of this would have happened." She wiped away the tears forming in her eyes.

"You really loved him didn't you?" the red-haired mermaid realized.

She nodded in response. "I thought maybe that he would be different than his grandfather. But I was wrong. He's just like him."

"Sometimes bad things happen and there's nothing you can do about it." She told her.

"Did you seriously just quote 'The Lion King?" Lorelei looked amused.

"Yep." The two girls laughed in unison. For a few moments. Lorelei forgot about all of their problems. Her and Wayson's secret being out and the paparazzi hounding them. She was happy for a few moments. But like everything it didn't last.

"What should I do Charlotte?" She looked to the other girls for answers. "What should _we_ do?"

Charlotte felt flattered that the other girl, who had been a mermaid far longer than she had (since she was 13), was looking to her for answers. But she didn't know what to tell her. "Lorelei, I wish that I had all of the answers. I wish I could tell you that everything will be alright and that this will all blow over eventually." Charlotte gave her a pained look. "But I don't know what will happen now that they know about you two. But know this, if you ever need help with anything you can always come to me."

Lorelei broke into fresh sobs and Charlotte quickly enveloped her new friend in a hug. She wished that they could rewind time and change everything that had happened in the last few months. They couldn't though. They had to deal with what had happened.

"I've never had a real friend before." Lorelei told her. "I've only had my family. I was so afraid of anyone finding out about everything and now that they have..."

"Hey, it's okay." She assured her. "We're in this together right?"

Lorelei nodded, "Yeah, okay." She wiped the tears away. "I think I know what Wayson and I have to do."

* * *

"Are you out of your mind?!" Rikki demanded.

"Haven't you done enough already?" Emma added.

Lorelei and Wayson stood next to each other. "I think she's right, guys." Wayson backed up his sister. "It's the only way."

"You're just going to make everything worse." Cleo argued.

"What's worse than this?!" Lorelei asked, "What could possibly be worse than all that has happened in the last six months?"

Six months... In those six months everything had been turned upside down. Emma had returned along with Charlotte, the ex-mermaid regained her tail, Charlotte's boyfriend and his twin had become mermen, They all started college, The moonpool had repaired itself, Miss Chatham and Max reappeared, Denman had revealed her findings, They had met Wayson and Lorelei, and the two of them had been exposed... So many things had happened in the span of six months.

It had been a month since they had been exposed. They had all been hiding out, hoping that the paparazzi would give up on this and that everything would die down.

No such luck.

Even though four weeks had passed they were all still in the Mermaid and Mermen are real craze. It was annoying as hell. Lorelei and Wayson's parents couldn't go anywhere without the media hounding them. They all wanted to know where their two children the mermaid and merman were. It was so lucky that their parents weren't Merfolk, They had been drenched in water far to many times for their liking.

"We can't just keep hiding." Wayson argued. "We have to face the world sooner or later. We can't just keep hiding in our little protective bubbles forever."

"As much as I hate to admit it." Max spoke up. "You might be right."

The two siblings donned pairs of black sunglasses and pulled the hoods of their sweatshirts over their heads.

"Where are you guys going?" Bella asked.

"To the Marine Park. We're going to pay a visit to our old friends Laurie and Mitch." Wayson told them.

"Why would you do that?" Charlotte asked.

"We're going to ask them to be our manager(s)." Lorelei said. "That and to set up a press conference."

"Couldn't you just do that over the phone?" Jessie pointed out.

"I suppose that is the better solution of the two." Wayson mused. "But we really need to find a way to get out of the public's eye for good."

They called their parents and discussed it with them. They planned to meet them at Max's.

* * *

"Hey Wayson... Can I talk to you a minute?" Morgan asked a bit hesitant.

"Sure." He said immediately.

"In private." She added.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion but he nodded in confirmation. They went into the guest bedroom and sat down together on the bed.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" He asked.

"I just...well... I wanted to say... to tell you I mean..." She fumbled over her words.

Wayson looked at the brunette mermaid in concern. Morgan was always overconfident. She was never shy and hesitant to voice her thoughts.

"What is it Morgan?"

"I just wanted to say..." She paused. "Be careful okay? I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you..."

Wayson's eyes lit up. "You care."

"Of course I do you idiot." She punched him on the arm. "I just don't show it that often."

He smiled brightly at her. Their eyes met and they started slowly leaning in. Just before their lips touched the door burst open and they jumped apart startled.

Morgan growled. It was her older brothers Aidan and Glenn. "You better have a good reason for interrupting us." She gave them a deadly glare.

"We just came to check on you." Aidan said. "You guys were gone for a while."

Wayson glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "We were gone for three minutes." He pointed out.

The two boys shuffled uncomfortably.

"Do you not trust me or something?" Morgan faced her brothers with her hands on her hips.

"What?" Glenn protested. "No it's not that at all. It's just that he's a boy-"

"And you're a girl." Aidan finished.

"Thanks Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum." She said sarcastically, "I hadn't noticed that at all."

"Really?" Glenn said in mock surprise. "You should really be more observant Morgan."

She growled at them. "Get out!"

"But we can't leave you alone with the male of the species." Aidan protested.

"He might take advantage of you, our poor innocent little sister!" Glenn added.

Her face burned at her brothers suggestions. "Leave now! Before I tie you up with plant vines."

Her brothers quickly left the room after that threat. They did not want to be on the receiving end of her anger.

She turned to face Wayson. "I'm so sorry about that." Her face still felt hot.

"I think it's nice that they care about you so much." He told her.

"Yeah, but it's still annoying." She huffed.

Wayson smiled a pushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Now..." he mused, "Where were we?" He leaned forward and captured her lips with his.

She felt as if electricity was running through her. It was amazing. It felt almost...magical.

"I really like you Wayson."

"And I really like you Morgan." He told her.

"No matter what happens with all of this." She said. "I still want to be with you."

"I feel exactly the same way."

* * *

David and Derek's father had seen the news and he was determined to get his sons home where they would be safe. At least he had hoped so.

Dr. Denman had revealed exactly what had happened at the Marine Park and now his sons and their friends were suspected as being merfolk as well. This couldn't get any worse; Or so he had thought before the Marine Biologist herself had appeared on their doorstep.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Dylan Smith asked with a poker face. Of course he already knew who she was but she didn't know that.

"I'm Dr. Linda Denman." She introduced herself. "World renowned Marine Biologist."

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" He asked gruffly.

She raised an eyebrow at his reaction. "About a month ago your sons David and Derek Smith broke into the Marine Park. They stole and burned many valuable files of my research on mermaids. Speaking of which, where are your sons?"

"They're out at the library studying. They have finals soon at the college they attend." He said simply. He had a lot experience lying over the years. He had gotten very good at it. Somehow though, Denman saw right through his lies.

"Really?" She looked skeptical.

"Yes, I'm sorry for the trouble my sons caused but they aren't here at the moment. I'll talk to them later about their behavior."

"I can't help but wonder why your sons were so interested in my research and why they destroyed it." She said watching the twins father for a reaction.

"Who knows?" He shrugged it off as if it was nothing to worry about.

"I think it's because it's relative to them."

"What exactly are you implying?" He looked furious.

"Just that the only conclusion that makes sense is that they are Mermen themselves. Therefore they wanted to destroy anything pertaining to their existence."

"Get out and stay away from my family." He growled. "If you come back I'll have you arrested for trespassing."

The elder merman slammed the door in her face and locked it. He checked all the windows and locked them as well. He turned to his wife who had been listening to the conversation in the background. "We need to call the boys and get them and the others out of her now."

She nodded in agreement. "We have to move again don't we?"

He sighed and nodded in agreement. "I think so love."

He called Derek and the others to let them know exactly what had transpired just before they called.

* * *

Wayson and Lorelei had called Laurie and Mitch both and asked them to set up an interview for that day. They figured it was best to get them over with now. Their parents had already decided to meet them there. Even their grandmother had come for support.

They arrived in a limo at the back entrance to the Marine park. They climbed out of the Limo and made their way to the Dolphin arena which was where they had decided to host the interview as it had the room for huge crowds.

Lorelei wore a light blue dress with yellow and red flowers that reached her ankles along with brown sandalsand a brown cardigan. Her brother wore nice blue jeans and a grey t-shirt with a brown jacket over it.

They both took a deep breath before entering out into the open. They had already told Laurie and Mitch that they would not let any experiments be done on them as of now. They said that they may change their minds later but it was unlikely.

The took deep breaths before they entered. The crowd went wild. They fired off questions rapidly.

"Were you born like this?"

"How long have you been Merfolk?"

"When did your parents find out?"

"Hold it!" Laurie shouted. "Wayson and Lorelei have agreed to answer a few questions; but they are not obligated to do so in anyway if they do not wish too."

"There are some things they wish to not be known and we are to respect that." Mitch added. "First, we have a few questions we will ask of our own." He turned to the two of them. Folding chairs had been brought out for both Laurie and Mitch. As well as Lorelei, Wayson and their parents.

"Okay, my first question is... How? How do you change from human to your mermaid and mermen forms?"

They looked at each other before Wayson took a deep breath and started to answer. "It's pretty simple really. Once water touches us we have roughly ten seconds before we transform."

"So does it have to be salt water?" Mitch continued.

"No any type of water will change us. Most drinks as they have water in them also change us." The Merman said. They had discussed what they could and could not discuss with the world before they had gone on.

"How much water does it take to change you?" Laurie butted in. Mitch gave him a somewhat irritated look as that was one of his questions. Laurie gave him an apologetic look before looking to the two merfolk.

"Only a drop." Wayson replied.

"So how do you get back to your human form?" Laurie asked.

"We have to dry off completely." Wayson replied.

"Well, as I'm sure we'll be staying in touch with the two of you." Mitch began, "I think that it's time that we let the audience ask a few questions. If that's okay with you guys." He added quickly.

"That's fine with me." Wayson told them trying to control his nerves. He looked to his sister who nodded in agreement. "We ask that you raise your hands and wait to be called on so we can hear and answer every question asked."

Almost everyone in the crowd raised their hands. Wayson picked a young girl in the front who looked to be about ten or eleven years old and was Asian looking.

"Do you live on Mako Island?" The girl asked innocently.

"No, we live on land just like any other person." Wayson replied. "Well most people anyways."

He then chose a boy towards the back of the arena. "Do you have any super powers?" The crowd was eating up everything that Wayson that said.

"We can swim very fast underwater." He replied. "We like to call it torpedoing. I can also talk to sea creatures." He admitted.

The crown looked excited at the prospect. "Can you give us a demonstration?!" The mother of the boy asked excitedly.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." He said. He turned to Laurie. "Would you mind letting Ronni out here?"

He nodded and left in a hurry to do as he asked. A few minutes later Ronni swam out and splashed the two merfolk. "You're a cheeky little fella aren't you?" He grinned. He dove into the water with his sister at his side. They swam to the top of the tank in mermaid and merman form.

Ronni said something in Dolphin and the tow of them smiled in unison. "Is that so Ronni?"

"What did he say?!" The boy asked enthusiastically.

"Ronni says that he wants us to play with him." Lorelei smiled happily. "So what would you like to play Ronni?" Ronni butted her with his nose and she laughed and grabbed onto his fin and he swam through the water with her holding on.

The Crowd went wild. The sister and brother then switched and Wayson swam with Ronni. After wards the pulled themselves up to the side of the tank and sat there.

Lorelei picked another woman to ask a question. "Why haven't you spoken that much throughout the interview Lorelei?" She asked. "I've noticed that your brother Wayson was the one doing all of the talking."

"Honestly I'm really nervous."

"So am I." Wayson added in.

She flicked her tail at him splashing him with water. He sputtered in indignation.

"That was for interrupting me brother." Wayson did the mature thing and stuck out his tongue at her.

The crown laughed in response. "And in addition to that." She continued when the crowd had calmed down. "The betrayal of my ex-boyfriend Kris is still really fresh. I trusted him with my secret and he did this. He exposed not only me but my brother as well. And now we're always going to be in the publics' eye. Now we're always going to be "The Mermaid" and "The Merman"." She used air quotes.

"We were happy with the way things were. We had been given an amazing gift that only the two of us shared together." Wayson took over. "It was another bond that the two of us as brother and sister shared together."

"So how did he find out?" A man questioned.

"I told him." She said. "I thought that I could trust him with this. Despite my brother warning me not to tell him I went ahead and did it. I told him and showed him. Then he kidnapped me." She whispered the last past; but since she had a microphone everybody heard. They all gasped in horror and shock. "He threw water on me which caused me to transform in front of him and he took pictures of me as a mermaid."

"She then managed to get to her phone which he took off of her and she called me." Wayson Varied from the original story some. "She told me what had happened and where she was and I busted her out of there." He smiled at his sister pulling her into a hug. "I carried her out of there and we went back home."

"Why didn't you ever report it?" Someone else called out.

"Because then they would have found out that she was a mermaid." Wayson replied. "She would have been put on display, tested on. I didn't want that to happen to her."

* * *

"May I ask something not related to your conditions?" A female reporter asked.

"I suppose." Lorelei said slowly.

"Are the two of you romantically involved with anyone?" They listened intently.

"As of right now. No I'm not involved with anyone romantically. I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust anyone after what Kris did to me."

The people in the crowd gave her looks of sorrow and pity. Wayson cleared his throat before continuing. "I am romantically involved with someone."

They turned their eyes on merman and the questions came rapidly.

"Male or female?"

"Female." He replied.

"Does she know your secret?"

"Yes."

"Did she know before the video?"

"Yes, I told her. She took it very well and was supportive of my and my sisters' ...condition. I guess that's what you would call it."

Unknown to them two hours had slipped by and they had to end the interview.

"They want to know if you'll be signing autographs before you leave?" Mitch asked the two of them.

"We weren't planning on it..." Wayson began

"But we could if you'd like us too." Lorelei finished for him.

"Excellent." Laurie said enthusiastically.


	2. Chapter 2

Exposed

Chapter 2

Newfound Fame

Author's notes: I don't own H20: Just Add Water, only my OCs Jessie Dove, Morgan Thompson, Wayson and Lorelei Chatham and David and Derek Smith. This is a sequel to my other H20: Just Add Water fanfiction Replaced. If you haven't read that one you might want to read it first or else this might not make a lot of sense.

* * *

They stood with bodyguards flocked around the two of them as people waited one by one to get autographs from the two merpeople. They also wanted them to pose for pictures. They obliged and took pictures with everyone there only in human form. It would've taken even longer if they had posed for pictures in merpeople form as well. They smiled and waved, acting like they couldn't be happier.

A little girl had come up to Lorelei and asked if she could be a mermaid too. That's what really tore at her heartstrings. "I'm sorry, sweetie." She said. "But it's just us. We don't know how to make you a mermaid." She had lied and she had hated it. It was for the best though they couldn't have people turning themselves into merpeople all the time.

They had bodyguards now too to escort them back to Max's boatshed. They had to take many twists and turns to loose the paparazzi. They couldn't have them knowing where they were staying. "Hey guys." Wayson said.

"Um hi, Wayson..." Morgan said looking at the two men next to the siblings. "Who are these two men?"

"This is Bob." Lorelei pointed to the one on the left. "This is Rob."

"Well, why are Bob and Rob here?" Will asked crossing his arms.

"They're our new bodyguards." Wayson told them. "Apparently being famous means you have psychotic fans and stalkers."

Jessie frowned at that. "Did something happen? Are you two okay?"

"Nothing happened." Lorelei said. "It's just for precaution."

"We have some presents for the rest of you." Bella said. "Can they stay here? It's a...private matter."

Wayson asked them to stay there while the twins joined their friends in the other room.

"First, this is for Charlotte." Cleo spoke up. She handed a box to her and watched as she opened it.

Her face lit up, "It's a locket like yours!" She said looking at Emma, Cleo, Rikki, and Bella's. Her's had an orange stone though. "And a crystal necklace."

"With a stone from you know where." Cleo winked.

"Thank you so much you guys." She looked at them with tear-filled eyes. David squeezed her shoulder in silent support.

"The next one is for Morgan." Rikki said. The mentioned girl looked up surprised. Rikki handed her a box like Charlottes. It held another locket like theirs only with a green stone and a crystal necklace. "The Crystal is from Hawaii where you and Jessie changed."

"And the same with yours." Bella told Jessie handing her a box.

Thank you so much." Jessie smiled gratefully at the girls. Her locket had a purple stone.

"This is yours Lorelei." Emma told her.

"But won't all of us wearing the same necklaces...won't other people make the connection that you guys are like us?" Lorelei said confused. She glanced at her locket which had a pink stone.

"We stick together." Emma said firmly. "If they make the connection then who cares? We're all supposed to be in this together anyways right?"

They smiled thankfully. "And of course here's a crystal necklace for you Wayson." Morgan handed it to him.

He grinned at his girl friend putting it around his neck. "Thanks."

"No problem." She smiled.

Jessie and Charlotte then each gave the twins a crystal necklace as well. Charlotte gave one to her boyfriend David, while Jessie gave the other to Derek.

"We would have made you guys lockets too but they're kind of more of a girl's jewelry item." Max explained.

"It's fine." David reassured the mermaids.

"It was really nice of you guys to do this for us." Derek smiled.

The twins thanked the girls and put them on. They knew that whatever they faced. They would do it together.

* * *

"Of course it would be your sons friends who exposed us." The other man hissed. From meeting Denman that morning things had just gotten worse. A merman, a member of their council had come to call.

"Lay of Bahari." Dylan Smith shot back. "It was a land boy who exposed them."

"After the land changed mermaid told him about herself."

"She trusted him."

"Obviously it was a mistake." The cocoa skinned man replied. "All the pods have retreated into more remote regions."

"Good for them." Dylan replied.

"They want all the rest of the natural born merpeople from land to join them."

Dylan let that sink in. "What about my sons? What about Liana?"

"Your sons may join you."

His eyes narrowed "What about Liana? I won't leave her." His wife smiled from the shadows at her husband loyalty to their family.

"They have agreed that if she is changed into one of us...she may join you and your sons."

"What about the land changed merpeople?" Dylan asked.

"The ones who have not been exposed yet are welcome to join the pods." Bahari responded.

"What about their significant others?"

"They'd have to be changed as well in order to live with the pod."

"The Marine biologist already suspects some of them though." He pointed out.

"Then they must leave at once." Bahari replied. "Relay my message to all of them. They have a week to decide." He stood ready to leave.

"And their human family members. What about them?"

Bahari gave him a sad look. They have not been permitted to join. "

"Why not when their boyfriends or girlfriends are allowed?!" Dylan demanded.

"The council deems them untrustworthy.' Bahari responded. "We have observed their human family's. The Mermaid with the sister Kim? She is not trustworthy. As well as the parents of the Mermaid Bella. Rikki's mother is also unworthy. If her daughter is exposed she will come back for fame and fortune."

"What about Emma? Charlotte? Jessie? Morgan?"

"Emma's family is found to be trustworthy as well as Morgan's. Her family is descendants from other merpeople. Cleo's step-mother and her father are alright. Cleo's birthmother we are unsure of. Jessie is an orphan. Her parents drowned when she was young."

"And Charlotte's mother?"

"She is welcome." Bahari said curtly. "Her father should he make a reappearance is not."

"What about Charlotte's father?" Liana spoke up. "I thought he had died."

"He abandoned Charlotte and her mother when she was born. The same with Rikki's mother." Bahari replied. "I must return to the council now and to my son Badru. I will return in a week with whoever wants to join the pods. If I were you. I'd make the right decision and join us and out family Dylan."

"I want to." Dylan said, "But my sons will not leave their friends to face this alone. They are loyal to a fault."

"Just like their father then." Bahari gave the Native American man a wry smile. "You are the exact same." His smile faded a moment later. "We miss you Dylan. Me, and Tyne, We were like brothers remember?"

"I know." He sighed sadly. "But things have changed. I made a life on land."

"You move every few years to keep your secret. And now with your sons being changed it would be far easier to join us in order to be safe."

He glanced at the picture they had taken once they had all gained legs together. Bahari, himself, Ren, Caspian, and Tyne. Liana had given them some old clothes of her brothers for all of them and she had taken a picture of the five of them.

Bahari was an African American Merman, Caspian was Hispanic, Tyne was from Greece, Ren was from Asian descent, and Dylan had native American roots. They had all been brought together unexpectedly when they were young mermen. They had met in merman school, when they had been paired together for a project on inventive ways to hide themselves from humans.

Bahari was now a member of the merman council with a son that was made by the moon Badru. The others were also part of the merman council along with 2 others. Finn (a red haired Scottish merman), and Zale ( a blonde haired, blue eyes merman). All of them had gone to school together. He had used to be a part of the merman council, until he had fallen in love with Liana and made a life on land. They has all been best friends at some point.

"I miss all of you too." Dylan told him. "But I can't leave my sons friends to this life."

"They can join us." Bahari said.

"No, the two that were exposed." He clarified. "Maybe if we had approached and taught the land changed merpeople the laws and how to conceal themselves. Maybe then this wouldn't have happened."

"It's possible." Bahari replied. "But they had mermaid family members. It was their job to teach them our ways."

"Maybe." He trailed off.

"The Council has talked about sealing all the moon pools." Bahari said suddenly.

Dylan looked shocked at this. "What?! But what about the moon ceremony when new eggs are taken to the pools to become mermen and mermaids?"

"We've come to an agreement with the mermaid pods." Bahari said. "We will join forces we will procreate together like we used to too ensure our survival."

"That didn't work last time." Dylan replied. "We wanted to suppress the mermaids so that we could rule over all of them. Remember the war?"

"Of course we learned about it in school." Bahari said.

"But they didn't tell us the truth about it until we became members of the merman council." Dylan reminded his old friend. "They made it out as if the mermaids had started the war and not us."

"I know brother." Bahari said. The affection in his voice surprised the other merman. Their group of friends had called each one of them brother, to remind themselves of their sibling like bond. He hadn't heard that said to him in so long. "I have to leave. Don't forget. One week." Bahari strode past him slipping into their secret cave and underwater entrance. Once his blue tail had formed he was gone.

"What do you want to do Liana?" The merman asked looking to his wife for an answer.

"I'm okay with whatever you choose Dylan." She told him.

A sigh escaped the merman. "I was afraid that you were going to say that."

* * *

"Hey they're over here!" A reporter called out. "Wayson! Lorelei!"

The three of them were walking towards Rikki's café for lunch. The twins quickened their pace with their two bodyguards at their sides. Wayson gripped his girlfriend Morgan's hand keeping her close to him. "Great, just great." He muttered aggravated.

"You know I can take care of myself." Morgan told him looking a little irritated at his over protectiveness.

"I know." Wayson said. "It's just a precaution. You're with Lorelei and I and people are going to want to know why."

"What are we going to do if we get...splashed?" Lorelei said careful to keep her voice down.

"We'll have to make a run for the back room then." Morgan whispered back. "Or the water, the backroom might be easier though."

Wayson nodded to acknowledge her suggestions. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? We could find a more secluded place for our first date."

"It's fine, Wayson. I want to act like everything is normal." She explained. "Like we're two normal young adults on a date."

"But it's not, we're not..." The Merman sighed, "And like Lorelei said, if we get splashed..."

"Then we'll deal with it." Morgan assured her boyfriend. "We'll make a break through the back door and into the canal."

Wayson looked doubtful, but he nodded. The three of them then entered the café with their bodyguards, Bob, Rob, Frank, and Jacob (who were only added later as an extra precaution.

The reporters fired off questions when they walked in at the brunette girl.

"Who are you?"

"What's your name?"

"How do you know Wayson and Lorelei?"

"Are you a mermaid too?"

"Are you Wayson's girlfriend?"

"Just ignore them." Wayson told her. "Don't answer anything."

Normally Morgan would hate someone telling her what to do. These were special circumstances though. She decided that the best thing to do would be to ignore the paparazzi and stay silent.

Lorelei scanned the café looking for a sign of the boy, Byron, who had helped her escape the crazed people when she and her brother were exposed. She had been hoping to see him so that she could thank him for his help. He was the only one who besides their father had even tried to help them escape. People were taking lots of Photographs and videos, of them both on Cameras and phones.

"Looking for Byron?" Morgan murmured, only loud enough for the three of them to hear her.

"Yeah, I wanted to thank him for his help. He was the only person beside our dad that even bothered to try to help us." Lorelei tried to justify her reasons for wanting to see the tan skinned, blond haired, blue-eyed, surfer.

"You have a crush on him don't you?" Wayson said quietly.

The three of them took their usual booth for their group. Without the others though there it felt wrong somehow. They should all be there together in their booth, at their café. They should be hanging out, and laughing there together. Those days were gone now though. Everything had changed and they were sure that it was definitely NOT for the better.

"Of course not." Lorelei shot back. "I thought I made it clear in the interview earlier." She sat across from her twin brother while Morgan sat right next to him.

"It's okay to like someone else." Morgan told her. "Kris was a jerk."

"Yeah, I have to say that I approve sis." Wayson responded. "He seems like a decent guy, unlike Kris. I always had a bad feeling about that guy."

"And you were right." Lorelei said bitterly.

Wayson gave his sister a sympathetic look. "I really wish I wasn't though."

"It's fine." Lorelei responded. "Sometimes bad things happen and there's nothing we can do about it."

"That was from the Lion King wasn't it?" Morgan said with an amused smile.

"Yep, Charlotte said the same thing to me this morning." Lorelei then frowned. "Well she said the quote to me and I asked if she had quoted The Lion King."

The two of them smiled. "And I don't like Byron. At least not the way you're implying." She quickly added.

Her brother and his girlfriend both gave her looks that clearly said that they weren't buying it.

* * *

The twins had gotten a call from their father who had been visited by one of the members of the merman council, who also happened to be an old friend. Dylan called Max and put them on speaker. He explained everything that Bahari had told him.

Silence followed his speech. They all adamantly refused to leave their families and friends behind. Dylan sighed in response. "I figured that you all would probably say that. If you change your mind though let me know before this week is over that's when Bahari will be back to escort any unexposed merpeople to the pod."

Once Morgan, Wayson, and Lorelei returned from their outing, thankfully without any incidents, they all gathered around in the sitting room.

Will, Bella and Sophie sat on the couch with the twins. Max and Mrs. Chatham sat in the two arm chairs. The rest of them were either sitting on the floor or leaning against one of the walls.

Lewis knelt on one knee in front of Cleo suddenly.

"Cleo Setori, you are the love of my life. Ever since I first met you, I knew you were the one." Cleo covered her mouth and started in disbelief at what was happening. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Lewis pulled out a box with a moon crystal set in the engagement ring.

"Yes, YES!" She shouted in pure happiness. They all cheered when she accepted.

"Looks like now we have two weddings to plan." Will pointed out.

"I guess so." Ash replied.

They all decided to celebrate the occasion with some sparkling cider, and some snacks.

Rikki had chosen Bella, Emma, and Cleo as her maids of honor. She asked Morgan, Jessie, Lorelei, and Charlotte to be her brides maids.

"I thought there were only supposed to be one maid of honor and three brides maids?" Wayson frowned confused.

"Yeah, well I'm doing it differently." Rikki said.

"Same here." Zane replied. "I'd like Will, Ash, and Lewis to be my best men, and Wayson, David, Derek, and Byron to be my groomsmen."

Lorelei looked up at the mention of the surfer's name. "Byron?" she questioned.

"Yeah, that's not a problem is it?" Zane asked.

"No, not at all." She assured him. "I've been meaning to thank him for helping Wayson and I when we were exposed."

"So, first Emma will walk down the isle with Ash, followed by Cleo and Lewis, and then Bella and Will." Rikki began.

"Then Byron and Lorelei will walk down the isle." Zane continued.

Lorelei did a spit take. "Excuse me?"

The others looked confused by her reaction except for Wayson and Morgan. "She's developing a bit of a crush on Byron." Morgan explained.

"I am not!" Lorelei protested.

"She is, don't listen to her." Wayson smirked. "She just doesn't know it yet."

She shot a glare at him before Zane continued. "Alright, anyways, after Lorelei and Byron, will be Wayson and Morgan, then Jessie and Derek, and Charlotte and David."

"So who else are you guys inviting?"

"Well, Nate, my dad and Rikki's father." Zane said.

"As well as Mr. Setori, and Sam, Emma's parents and younger brother Elliott, Mrs. Chatham and Max, Sophie..."

She looked shocked at the revelation. "What? But I thought you hated me."

"I don't." Rikki said. "I may not like you very much but I don't hate you."

"Then why are you inviting me to your wedding?"

"I think that everyone deserves a second chance. This is yours Sophie." Rikki said. "Don't waste it."

Her eyes lit up in happiness. "I won't, I promise."

"And David and Derek's mom and Dad, Charlotte's mom, Maybe Bella's parents... if that's okay with you?" Rikki said.

"It's fine." Bella said curtly.

"And I'd like it if you would sing for the wedding as well Bella, along with the other girls." Rikki requested. "And maybe the band?"

"I'd love to." Bella said, "I'll call the guys right now to ask them." She went off into the next room to talk to them.

She came back a moment later saying that they had agreed; but that they wanted to have a band meeting.

"What for?" Will asked.

"We haven't practiced in a month. I've been AWOL because of this whole situation." Bella explained. "They want to know why."

"Make up something then." Morgan suggested.

"I can't just lie to them!" Bella protested.

"You have to Bella." Emma told her.

"I hate lying to the guys."

"If you tell them Bella." Cleo began, "They'll link you to us and then they'll know."

"But I can trust them." Bella said. "I know that they'll keep the secret safe."

"We don't know that for sure Bella." Ash responded.

"I'll keep you guys out of it." She told them. "I'll tell them that it's just me."

They all glanced at each other. "Bella, you can't." Will pleaded.

"How about we take a vote?" Lewis suggested. "All opposed?" Everyone raised their hands except for Bella.

She shot them a glare before storming off. Will and Sophie ran after her to make sure she didn't do anything rash.

* * *

Author's notes; Clewis wedding plans will be coming up soon, plus their going back to college for their classes. I know the proposal sucked and wasn't that well written, but as I've never witnesses a proposal (or been proposed to) I'm not really sure how it goes other than the kneeling and presenting a ring and asking the other person to marry them.


End file.
